Copilot: how to make the most of Microsoft 365 AI

Integrated with Microsoft 365, Copilot is the most widely used AI in the enterprise, alongside ChatGPT. But watch out for the maze of versions! Free, Pro, M365, Studio, GitHub... Microsoft is blurring the lines! Need a compass? Whether you're a professional, a developer or just curious, this guide deciphers what's on offer and helps you choose the right Copilot to get your projects off the ground.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, and Microsoft Copilot is establishing itself as one of the most widely used AI assistants in the enterprise, thanks in particular to its native integration into Microsoft 365, Edge and Windows 11.

But behind the name "Copilot" lie several different offers, each designed for different profiles and needs.

Copilot Free, Copilot Pro, Copilot for Microsoft 365, Copilot Studio, GitHub Copilot... It's not easy to find your way around. Which version should you choose, depending on your business or your expectations? This comprehensive guide will help you make the right choice and understand the uses to which each Copilot is put.

Copilot: a galaxy of AI assistants under the same name

Microsoft has developed Copilot in several versions, each targeting a specific audience and offering distinct functionalities. This segmentation responds to the diversity of uses: from simple text generation to the automation of business processes, via code assistance for developers.

The 3 main Copilot families

• Copilot for the general publicfree and Pro versions, accessible to all.
• Copilot for businessCopilot included in certain subscriptions, and Microsoft 365 Copilotthe most comprehensive version for organisations.
• Specialist copilot : GitHub Copilot for code, vertical business wizards for specific uses (Copilot for sales, Copilot for servicesetc.). Last but not least, Copilot Studio to create customised wizards.

Each Copilot has its own licensing model, uses and limitations. For example, GitHub Copilot does not give you access to your emails or documents, and Microsoft 365 Copilot does not code for you.

Microsoft Copilot versions: overview and uses

Copilot Free

• Accessweb (copilot.microsoft.com), Windows 11, Bing, Edge.
• Featurestext generation, web search, simple image creation with DALL-E.
• Who is it for?The general public, occasional users and those curious about AI.
• Limits : no integration with your documents or e-mails, no access to business data.

Copilot Pro

• Access: personal Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote) with a personal account.
• Featuresadvanced content generation in Office, prioritisation of access to the latest AI models.
• Who is it for?Individuals, freelancers, students, content creators.
• Price22/month.
• Limits : no integration with corporate data, use limited to personal environment.

Microsoft 365 Copilot (formerly Copilot for Microsoft 365)

• AccessMicrosoft 365 professional applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, etc.) for business and education accounts.
• Featurescontent generation, Teams meeting summaries, task automation, secure access to internal data (email, SharePoint, OneDrive, Graph API), integration with third-party applications, creation of personalised wizards via Copilot Studio.
• Who is it for?: companies, public authorities, educational establishments.
• PriceFrom €28.10 excluding VAT/user/month, in addition to the Microsoft 365 subscription.
• Benefitssecurity, confidentiality, compliance, deep integration into the working environment, governance centralised.

Copilot Studio

• AccessPower Platform (web), dedicated licence.
• Featurescreation of custom Copilots (chatbots(CRM, ERP, databases), multi-channel deployment (Teams, web, etc.), business process automation.
• Who is it for?Businesses with specific needs, IT, business wishing to automate or customise AI.
• PriceBilling per use or specific licence.
• Use casesHR FAQs, automated IT support, customised business assistants.

GitHub Copilot

• Accessextension for Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, development platforms.
• FeaturesReal-time code suggestion, automatic completion, function generation, multilingual support, code explanations, etc.
• Who is it for?Developers, software development teams, IT students.
• Pricemonthly subscription, free for students and open source projects.
• BenefitsAccelerated development, fewer errors, rapid skills uptake.

To find out more, read this article: Coding with AI: which code assistant should you choose?

Vertical wizards: Copilot for sales, Copilot for services, etc.

• Accessspecific business applications integrated with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, Dynamics 365, Salesforce, Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, etc.).
• Features :
  • Copilot for salesThe new solution includes: assistance with writing emails, generating personalised content, extracting insights from CRM (Dynamics 365 Sales, Salesforce Sales Cloud, etc.), recommendations for action, summaries of Teams meetings, integration with sales tools and analysis of sales calls, etc..
  • Copilot for servicescustomer interaction management, email and incident summaries, response writing, automatic recording of exchanges in the CRM, integration with Dynamics 365 Customer Service or Salesforce, automation of routine customer service tasks, etc..
  • Power BI Copilotgeneration of DAX queries in natural language, suggestion and creation of reports, text summaries, generation of narrative visuals, automated documentation of measurements, assistance in designing reports from prompts, optimisation of Q&A..
• Who is it for?Sales teams, customer services, analysts and business decision-makers.
• Pricevariable (often included in the corresponding Dynamics 365 licences or Power BI premium)
• BenefitsThese include: deep integration with business tools, automation and acceleration of specialised tasks, contextual recommendations, improved productivity and quality of analyses or customer interactions.

Which version of Copilot should I choose?

The criteria for choice depend on your needs.

Office automation professionals

• ObjectiveSave time writing, analysing data, preparing presentations and managing emails.
• ChoiceMicrosoft 365 Copilot (for business use) or Copilot Pro (for personal use).

For example, in Word, you can ask Copilot to write reports, summaries, draft contracts, cover letters, procedures, etc.

In Excel, you can ask it to create a dynamic table from sales data, or to create complex, customised formulas to sort your data in an advanced way, or to explain trends in a series of data.

In Teams, Copilot can automatically generate a summary of a Teams meeting, listing the decisions and actions to be taken.

Developers

• Objectivespeeding up code production, reducing errors and exploring new languages.
• ChoiceGitHub Copilot.

IT, HR and support services

• Objectiveautomate support, create internal assistants and manage complex workflows.
• ChoiceCopilot Studio.

Copilot Studio allows you to go much further than a "generic" copilot by creating AI assistants that are perfectly adapted to your business needs, integrated into your application ecosystem and fully customisable.

VSE/SME or self-employed

• ObjectiveDiscover AI, improve productivity without heavy investment.
• ChoiceCopilot free or Copilot Pro as required.

Large groups, public authorities

• ObjectiveThese include securing the use of AI, guaranteeing compliance and centralising management.
• ChoiceMicrosoft 365 Copilot, with the option of extending via Copilot Studio.

How can I get the most out of Copilot?

To exploit the full potential of Copilot AI, you need :

• Identify your real needsoffice automation, development, automation, support.
• Choosing the right version to your context (personal, professional, IT, development).
• Training and supporting users for effective adoption.
• Monitoring security and confidentiality data, especially in business.

Tips for a successful integration into the company

To successfully integrate Copilot into your business, a few best practices are essential:

• Check the technical requirements and licences needed (Microsoft 365 eligible, Azure AD).
• Assign licences via Microsoft 365 centralised administration.
• Configure governance and security correctly with Microsoft Purview to protect your sensitive data.
• Train your teams The true value of Copilot is revealed when users know how to use it in their day-to-day tasks. Monitor usage and adjust policies on an ongoing basis.

Microsoft Copilot, in all its variants, is proving to be a major lever for digital transformation. Whether you're a professional looking for efficiency, a manager wanting to automate your workflows, or a developer wanting to speed up code delivery, there's a Copilot to suit your needs. The most important thing is to understand your uses, your security constraints and your objectives so that you can choose the most appropriate version and make the most of the power of Microsoft's AI.